ShareThisCornelio “Ely” Natividad, loving husband to Dr. Evelyn de Asis Natividad and doting father of three accomplished professionals, namely: Hannah, Heidi and Cornelio II, is also an engineer, entrepreneur, real estate investor, TV co-producer, former professor, civic leader and community volunteer. Just recently, at the 39th anniversary ball of PESO (Philippine Engineers and Scientists Organization), Ely Natividad was honored with the Outstanding Engineer award.
Cornelio “Ely” Naitividad, being presented his award as Outstanding Engineer by PESO President, Ferdinand Alido.
Consul Orontes Castro, who was also the keynote speaker, gave Natividad a glowing tribute and an added reason to feel proud. In the words of the Consul, Natividad has been chosen to receive the Outstanding Engineer Award not only for his professional excellence but also for his dedication to serve others both in the U.S. and in the Philippines, giving of himself unstintingly and using his energies and to some extent, personal sacrifice and fortune to improve and transform the lives of others.
His achievements and awards are far too many to fit in this space hence the need to only mention his most significant contributions, among them:
* 2000 Presidential Award (Banaag Award) for Outstanding Filipinos Overseas from the President of the Philippines for his commitment in promoting the cause of Filipino American communities in the U.S.
* Award of Recognition Dr. Jose Rizal Monument Project from the Philippine Historical Institute, Philippine. Consulate General in Chicago, Order of the Knights of Rizal, Philippine Centennial Movement & the Philippine American Cultural Foundation.
* Knights of Rizal, Manila Philippines, awarded fourth degree knights, Knights Grand Officer of Rizal (KGOR) and Gold cross medal
* Community Service Award, Asian American Coalition
* Melvin Jones Award, Lions International
* Kalantiaw Award for Leadership Gintong Pamana Award Foundation
* Entrepreneur of the Year Philippine Chamber of Commerce
* Hall of Fame Awardee in the field of business, Chicago, USA
Natividad’s achievements and success can be attributed to his ‘can do’ attitude, foremost of which was his most notable accomplishment, the installation of the only Asian historical landmark in Chicago, the Dr. Jose Rizal Monument along Marine Drive and Lakeshore Drive. Raising $125,000 and seeing the monument rise in 3 months after securing the land and the right to install the monument on it required extraordinary skill, which Natividad proved he possessed. He successfuly negotiated with Chicago Park District officials and won the support of Aldlerman Schulter, 47th Ward City of Chicago for the approval of the City Council Bill to install the Jose Rizal Monument.
The family of Cornelio ‘Ely’ Natividad, minus his son Cornelio II, at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare, where the awards banquet and dinner ball had been held.
It was a feat matched only by his own, when a couple of years later, as President of the newly established umbrella organization, the Philippine American Cultural Foundation from 2000 – 2007, he led the acquisition of a multi-purpose community building that housed its many projects, such as Paaralang Pilipino for the youth and computer classes for the seniors.
As Chairman of the Philippine Week Committee undertaking the annual celebration of Philippine Independence in Chicago in 2009-2010, Natividad used the funds they raised on a humanitarian mission in the Philippines, which conducted Pamasko sa Mahihirap (Christmas Gifts for the Poor) and book distribution in Tondo’s elementary schools.
While president of the Chicago Philippine Lions Club in 1999-2000, Natividad led a medical and humanitarian mission in the Philippines, where his team performed surgeries on hair lip and goiter, among many other things. As President and Chairman of the Board of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago from 2007-2009, Natividad worked with the Chicago’s Philippine Consulate General in conducting business workshops.
As PESO President from 2000 to 2001, Natividad put into action the theme of his administration, Kabalikat ng Pilipinas sa Kaunlaran (Philippine Partner in Progress). Among the things he did: He conducted tree planting at La Mesa Dam, participated in the Habitat for Humanity program, helped promote the Recycling Project through information dissemination and awarded scholarship grants to financially challenged students in the Philippines and in the U.S.
The Natividad family in Malacanang Palace, when Evelyn and Ely Natividad received the Banaag Award from the President of the Philippines.
There’s no better way to sum up Natividad’s accomplishments and the significance of his award than in the words of Consul Castro. “The award is a gentle reminder to all of us that – in our search for material development – we should always take time to acknowledge that the real values are those that cannot be quantified, those that cannot be measured in scales and pesos or dollars, those that cannot be reduced to figures and charts.’
‘ Compassion and commitment are, indeed, the true kernel of the human spirit to serve others.” Without a doubt, Cornelio “Ely” Natividad is the embodiment of that human spirit.